Court lifts curbs on arrest of Hyderabad cricket officials

The Andhra Pradesh High Court Tuesday vacated a stay on the arrest of Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) officials, including former India players Shivlal Yadav and Arshad Ayub, in a case related to financial irregularities.

Following the court order, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) may move to arrest the HCA officials on whose arrest the court imposed an interim stay in April.

Fifteen of the 21 HCA officials, including president Ayub, vice president Yadav and former secretary M.V. Sridhar, had sought the stay, apprehending arrest by the ACB.

Yadav is also vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

A trial court earlier directed the ACB to inquire into alleged irregularities in the HCA.

Petitioner C. Babu Rao alleged that the HCA officials caused the cricket association a loss of over Rs.2 billion by indulging in several irregularities and misappropriation of funds.

The petitioner, president of a local cricket club, alleged that the HCA officials resorted to irregularities in construction of Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium at Uppal in Hyderabad.

Following the court order, the ACB April 13 registered cases against 22 HCA members. They were booked under penal provisions for criminal breach of trust, criminal breach of trust by a public servant, cheating and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The 15 HCA officials moved the high court for relief and contended that they were not public servants and could not be booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.